Greek Easter Bread (Tsoureki) Recipe

"Tsoureki, a sweet yeast bread made of eggs, milk, and butter, is a staple during Greek Easter. The three-strand braid symbolizes the Holy Trinity, while the red-dyed hard-boiled egg braided into the dough symbolizes the blood of Christ. The bread is delicious and keeps for several days, but eat that double-cooked egg at your own risk. What to buy: For a more authentically Greek Easter bread, season it with mahlepi and mastic. Mahlepi, also known as mahleb and mahlab, is the seed kernel found within the stone of the St. Lucie cherry. It is ground into a powder and used as a spice in Middle Eastern foods. It tastes similar to bitter almonds and tonka beans. Mastic is the sap of the mastic tree, which grows in Greece and across the Mediterranean. The sap is dried into a resin or gum, then ground and used as a spice. Mastic and mahlepi can be purchased at Greek grocers or online. This recipe was featured as part of our Greek Easter Celebration menu...."